ASCO’s Annual Meeting Well Attended

ASCO’s Annual Meeting Well Attended

A number of newsworthy activities took place at ASCO’s 2022 Annual Meeting held in Chicago this past June.

ASCO’s Annual Meeting, an open meeting for anyone who wishes to attend, was an opportunity to learn more about ASCO’s Optometry Gives Me Life (OGML) public awareness campaign. Representatives from Truth Collective, a public relations firm in Rochester, New York, shared the most recent results of the campaign, along with its impact on the applicant pool. Introduced was Dr. Linda Pham, a Doctor of Optometry who is one of the newest doctors featured in the campaign.

ASCO welcomed Dr. Charissa Lee, Head of Professional Affairs, North America, Vision Care of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care as she introduced Johnson & Johnson’s support of ASCO’s new Eye on Diversity initiative. Johnson & Johnson’s generous sponsorship will help underwrite diversity-enhancing initiatives such as ASCO’s Voices of Diversity video series, an exciting new speakers series, and several other programs designed to elevate ASCO’s diversity’s efforts.

In addition, Treasurer Mark Colip presented ASCO’s financial report, and IPECP Committee Chair John Nishimoto provided information on ASCO’s new IPECP Core Competencies and an IPE Summit being planned in the first quarter of 2023.

Several Resolutions were also presented:

• Dr. Kevin Alexander – to celebrate his retirement after his outstanding leadership in optometric education and the optometric profession throughout his more than four-decade career
• Dr. Jenny Coyle – to celebrate her becoming the President of Pacific University and for her outstanding leadership
• Dr. Larry J. Davis – for his outstanding leadership in optometric education and the profession of optometry throughout his 35-year career as he begins his retirement
• LaShawn Sidbury Duckett – for being a trusted and highly productive employee of the ASCO staff for almost 15 years as she moves on to a new position with the National Science Teachers Association
• James Jorkasky – for being a strong supporter of optometric researchers and the profession as he retires from being Executive Director of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research
• Dr. Kelly Nichols – for completing an exemplary term as President of ASCO, the first ASCO President that also previously served as President of the American Optometric Student Association
• Dr. Tim Wingert – as he retires from his position of Dean of the University of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry, having worked passionately and tirelessly to advance the profession of optometry through optometric education

The highlight of the Annual Meeting was the presentation of ASCO’s Special Recognition Awards to superstars in optometric education. More information about these awardees can be found here.

ASCO’s 2023 Annual Meeting will tentatively be on June 21, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned to Eye on Education and ASCO’s website for the most up to date information.